Hospital bed



Aug. 30, 1932. R. STAUDT 1,874,826

HOSPITAL BED Filed Jan. 11, 1930 /%1CHABD STA UDT I y i? 3 W464 a ATTORNEY v Patented Aug. 30, 1932 i f "UNITED sra res moi-man srauntr," or SAGINAW, MicHIGAiv riosrrrnr. BED

V Applicationfiled January 11, 1936. Serial Ho. 420,032.

This invention relates to hospital beds equipped with mechanism for easily and conveniently handling a patient in prone position without bodily jarring ortwisting and without exerting on the patient any uncomfortable degree of manual force or handling. i i

The objects of the invention are to provide a relatively inexpensive mechanismthat is adapted to raise the patient clear of the mattress and to support him above it, to remove the mattress from the bedstead while the patient is so supported and then to lower the patient any desired amount, even nearly or quite to the floor, meanwhile supporting his body hammock-wise, avoiding all tendency to roll. The patient may thus be lowered into a bath tub on the floor and the rate and amount of immersion can be regulated by the lowering mechanism.

Another object of theinventionis to provide means for lifting the patient out of the bath slowly or quickly as desired and without without using any considerable amount of manual force upon his body.

With the foregoing and certain other objects in View, which will appear later in the specification, the invention comprises the devices described and claimed and the equivalents thereof. 7

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bedstead embodying my invention, the supporting sheet being shown as it appears while in the act of being removed and replaced by a fresh sheet.

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, partly diagrammatic, showing the sup-- porting sheet in raised position, the removal PATEN oF icE of the mattrss being indicatedb-y dotted lines.

" Fig. 4 is a, fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 .4E of'Fig. 1.

As is clearlyshown in "the drawing, the

structure which I have chosen for purpose of illustration as typically embodying, my invention consists inthe bedstead comprising the-usual head piece 1 and foot piece 2 connected by the usual side, rails 3-3.

To support the mattress transverse rails 4 l are'provided at the headandfoot. A;

mattress frame, which may be of usual form,

has its ends 5slidably supported on the'rails l, so the mattress may be removed from the hedsteadgby sliding out" sidewise, as indicated by the dotted lines at the right in Fig.3."* i

In applyinginy invention to a bedstead of the kind above described two-horizontalbars '6, 6 are arranged lengthwise the bed and are normally positionedat the sides of the bed at the longitudinal edges of the mattress, as shown in Fig. 2.

A strong flexible. fabric sheet 7 is removably secured at its longitudinal margins to the respective bars 6, 6. 'The meansof securing the sheet to the bars is indicated in Figs. 1, 3, 4, where eyelets 7 a are provided in the sheet and the edges of the sheet are lashed to the bars6 by means of lacings 7 Z).

These lacings are convenient for removing the sheet 7 and replacing it with a fresh one,

as will be described later. r

For the purpose of my invention it is only essential that the bars 6, 6shall be mounted insuch a way that they can be raised simul v taneously and that they can be lowered below I the level of the mattress-supporting rails 4 and that in being so lowered they shall ap preach each other as shown in Fig. 4.

-Anytype of bar actuating mechanism may I be employed, but for purpose of illustration:- and ass-preferred embodiment of bar actuating means I have diagrammatically shown cords 8 secured to the ends of the bars 6, extending upwardly at the four corners of the bed where they are rove through suit able guidewayst). The two cords ateach end of the'bedare extended downwardly and fas tened to a winding shaft 10 that may be operated by a crank 11 whereby the two bars 6, 6 may be simultaneously raised and lowered.

' To cause the bars to move toward each other when they are lowered below the mattress level the bars 6 have their ends provided lies flat upon the mattress and the patient rests upon the sheet 7.

Turning the crank 11 lifts the bars 6, 6 simultaneously to the position shown in Fig. 3 The mattress is then slid out from the bedstead sid'ewise along the rails i and is removed, asindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8.

- A bath tubcan be placed under the bedstead, as shown inFig. 4, and the bars 6 are lowered. They slowly move toward each other as they descend, the sheet descends into the bath tub, forming a troughto hold the patient securely while he is'immersed in the bath. He is lifted by reverse movement of the shaft 10.. The wet sheet 7 is changed,

. whilethe patient is supported on it, by unfastening the lashings 76 at the foot of the bed, applying a new sheet, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and lashingit in place as fast as the successive lashings 7 b of sheet 7 are released.

the plane of said pivotal connections and also adapted to be shaped hammock-wise by downward and inward movement of said arms and bars to a position below said mattress supports, and actuating means for said bars.

2. A bed having in combination a headpiece, a foot-piece, a mattress, mattress supports on the head and foot-pieces respectivel arms pivoted to fixed supports above said mattresssupports, bars connecting the outer ends of said arms and positioned normally at the longitudinal edges of the mattress, a flexible sheet removably secured to and adapted to be stretched in a horizontal position between said bars above said mattress supports and substantially in the plane of said pivotal connections and also adapted to be shaped hammock-wise by downward and inward movement of said arms and bars to a position below said mattress supports, and actuating means for said bars. v 1

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature,

- RICHARD STAUDT.

In this manner only a small part of the length of the patientsbody is left unsupported at any one time during the changing of thesheet, and a dry sheet can be quickly substituted without disturbing the patient.

If it is desired to change the patientspos'ition somewhat it can be done by slightly raising one of the bars 6, giving his body a slight tendency to roll and he can thus be turned from side to side with practically no force being exerted upon him by the'hands of the attendants. V

The mattress is replaced after the tub is removed, and the patient. is then lowered until he is resting upon the mattress.

' Having thus described my invention, what I; claim and desire tosecure by Letters Pat- 'entiszf- I n 1. A bed having in combination a headpiece, a foot-piece, a mattress, mattress-sup ports on the head and foot-pieces respective- I ly, a pair of arms pivotally connected to the head-piece, a second pair of arms pivoted to thefoot-piece above said mattress supports,

bars connecting the outer ends of said arms and positioned normallyat thelongitudinal edges of the mattress, a-fiexible sheet removably secured to and adapted to be stretched in a horizontal.position'between said bars above said mattress, supports and substantially in 

